Fresh ingredients are intrinsic to Lush – it’s at the heart of our philosophy

Eating an apple picked straight off the tree is of course best for a healthy body…. and fresh, handmade cosmetics are much like food in the way that they provide goodness to feed your skin. The finest fresh ingredients have a far more nutritious and effective action on the skin, hair and mind than long-lasting, heavily preserved beauty products. Fresh raw ingredients which have not broken down or aged have ACTIVE properties, especially the vitamins, minerals and enzymes with wonderful benefits. Essential oils are also most potent and effective when freshly extracted from the plant or flower source. Natural ingredients, plants, clays, butters and essential oils have been used for hundreds of years because they have a proven history of effective, safe use and are much kinder for the environment. In contrast, science, chemicals and claims of miracle formulas may sound exciting and offer promises of anti-aging etc but how safe and effective are they and what evidence supports their claims?

At Lush we have been working with fresh produce for many years and have vast experience of how to formulate, manufacture and look after products that incorporate whole fruits and vegetables, organic wherever possible. We have discovered that using the whole fruit or vegetable is infinitely more beneficial than isolating a property and removing it from a fruit, vegetable or natural material and adding it to a cosmetic product to try to recreate its function. At Lush we minimise the use of synthetics and preservatives. We take special care to ensure we use only the safest and mildest preservatives we know. Our fresh masks are as nutritious as fruit smoothies for the face – 100% natural, totally unpreserved – they are the centre piece of our shops.

We believe that customers have the right to know exactly what is in the products they buy, and our ingredients are therefore quantitatively marked on all labels.  Our products are suitable for both vegetarians and vegans – this information is clearly marked on labels for customers to chose which products are suitable for them.

Over years of gaining knowledge and expertise, and listening to our customers needs, we have created a comprehensive range of carefully formulated products that are as fresh and effective as they are pleasurable to use… and many are lots of fun!

Making Lush products involves:

• Careful ordering of ingredients from ethical sources to ensure freshness and quality.
• Products made by hand, with care and attention – to maximise quality and minimise wastage.
• Batches honestly labelled with date and makers names – transparent information for customers. products made to order, little and often, so they reach customers when they are really fresh.
• No stock piling of ingredients or large stock- holding of products – get products out to shops and Mail Order fast and fresh.
• Controlled factory waste stream – reduce and recycle.

All of our products are Fresh: made and available for you to buy in less than 21 days, with a ‘made on’ date as well as a ‘use by’ clearly shown on our iconic batch stickers.

This is what makes Lush different. Last year we bought:

• 132,000kg of sea salt
• 23,000kg of lemons
• 11,400kg of bananas
• 11,000kg of limes

We really do put the whole fruit in!

Besides natural ingredients being fresher by nature, they have usually travelled less, as they need to arrive sooner.

The fresher the ingredients, the more nutrients they contain. Fruit, for example, receives a constant flow of energy from the tree: the minute it leaves the branch it starts to decompose. The sooner we use it, the higher its nutrients and the greater the benefit to your skin or hair.

Fresh is the cornerstone of Lush products. We not only tell you when you should use your products by, but when they were made, to make sure you know exactly how fresh your cosmetics are. Where possible we always use fresh, seasonal ingredients that are ethically sourced to make sure we know exactly where they come from.

We believe fresh is better; do you?